Tell
by Heather Giesbrecht
Summary: It'd been easy for her to gossip about Edith's little ghost story because that hadn't truly affected her family, but this if it got spread around would ruin Alan...and Thomas...forever. Thomas/Alan, Eunice/Thomas. Complete.


**Tell**

Eunice looked around the ballroom to see that most of the party guests had filtered out. She noticed then that her brother and their guest of honour were not among those who still co-mingled. It disappointed her, she had hoped that Thomas would have at least righted his wrong by asking her to become his second dancing partner. How could Thomas have chosen Edith, who hardly wanted to marry, hated the society she was part of, and...ugh, wanted to work, over her ? Did Thomas have some subversive streak in that English blood of his ? Surely he must. Otherwise how could he not wish for a wife that knew how to satisfy his needs when the time came ? God knew that Thomas could not have chosen Edith for that.

It seemed that Lucille had noticed the absences as well. The crimson clad woman approached her to ask, "Eunice, you did not happen to notice where Thomas went did you ?"

Again, she noticed that Thomas's sister did not blink very much. Whether Eunice successfully hid her discomfort about the matter she knew not. Still she answered, "The last I saw of him he was with Alan who looked rather disgruntled about something."

Lucille folded her arms and linked her hands together. "I propose that we look for them lest they got into a...manful...fight over the matter."

"A wonderful suggestion. I shall take the upstairs and you can search here if you don't mind, of course, Lucille." Really she should not have asked but there was something frightening in Lucille's eyes that made her.

Thankfully the older woman accepted her idea and moved off. With a sigh of relief she made her way out of the ballroom and up the oak grand staircase. There was no sign of them in the hallway to either side nor when she ventured toward the bathroom, her bedroom and the master bedroom. Confusedly, she shook her head then leaned against the wall near Alan's room. Sconce light glittered across the far white wall as she thought that perhaps Lucille had already found them. It was then that an odd, somewhat muffled, sound reached her from inside the room.

Worried about her brother, she walked to the door and slowly opened it to peer inside. Alan's room was now only lit by candelabra and moonlight, his bed rested in the far center of the room. There was one person that she could see in the bed...a flush warmed her face as she realized that the aforementioned person was naked.

A pair of hands suddenly clutched the other's back then a moaned, "God, Thomas." filled the room.

She bit her lip in suppressed horror when Thomas growled back, "Alan."

Quietly but quickly, she closed the door and near hyperventilating hurried to the bathroom. Her hands shook as she locked the door behind her and moved to splash some water on her face. Maybe, maybe, it was just a hallucination. It was a hallucination, it must've been. Thomas couldn't be a...a homosexual surely ? He'd never acted queerly around her nor had Alan. Should she not have known if her big brother was...one of them ? After all, she had known him all her life.

No one could find out about this, not a soul could know about what she had just seen. It'd been easy to gossip about mad Edith's little ghost story because that hadn't truly affected her family. This if someone found out about this and told a journalist it would ruin both Alan and Thomas...forever. If that happened then either Mother would have to disown Alan or they would have to give up the only life they had ever known for shame.

After she had dried her face and take some time to collect herself she left the bathroom. When she started down the staircase she saw that Lucille and Thomas stood together saying their good-byes to Mother and Alan. The men looked so blase as they shook hands that she was almost sure she'd imagined their encounter.

Lucille glanced up then spotting her called, "I need not have worried they were not fighting after all."

Thomas helped her down from the staircase saying, "I am sorry that I embarrassed you so frightfully, Eunice. I got lost and needed directions then I remembered Alan's mentioning of where the Cushings house was. As for my disappearance now, I merely wanted to deal with your brother's ire at my slighting of you. It got slightly out of hand at times but we resolved it without any blood being shed."

Gracefully, she replied, "Your apology is accepted Thomas though I should like to dance with you one day still."

"Perhaps we might arrange it sometime later on." Thomas let go of her and turned to Mother, "Again, thank you Mrs. McMichael for tolerating my appalling behaviour as your guest of honour. Lucille, I think it time that we return to the hotel."

Thomas didn't even spare a glance for Alan as he and Lucille left. The door closed with a faint click and she decided it best she pretend most of the evening never happened.


End file.
